Onix Pickleball Paddle Comparison and Reviews 2018

Onix Sports, Inc. is a company specialized in pickleball equipment and known for making some of the best pickleball paddles on the market. Unlike some other paddle manufacturers that sell a wide range of sporting gear for other racquet sports like tennis, badminton and racquetball; Onix is solely dedicated to the sport of pickleball with a full product line including: pickleball paddles, nets and balls, including the Onix Pure 2﻿ pickleball which is one of the most highly rated and top selling balls on the market.

Onix was founded in 2005 and is located in Peoria, Arizona. It markets pickleball equipment and continues to introduce new paddle technology and design that helps elevate the level of gear on the market, most notable two patent pending paddle cores (Ribtec and Fusion) and the Onix Pure Ball.

Onix pickleball paddles are definitely high end, all 5 of their top selling paddles have graphite faces. The core options include their proprietary pat pending core mentioned above as well as models made with aluminum, Nomex and polymer cores. Two of their top sellers are edgeless pickleball paddles while the others have a traditional protective edge guard. Onix paddle shapes are offered in Wide Body, Oversized and Tear Drop.

Core Materials

As with most other best selling graphite paddles on the market, Onix paddles use either POLYPROPYLENE, NOMEX or ALUMINUM. Onix adds is own proprietary option with their foam RIBTEC™ CORE which has the added benefit of reducing paddle noise and landing their paddles on our list as some of the best quiet pi﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿ckleball paddles.

Innovative Paddle Technology from Onix:

RIBTEC™ CORE

Patent Pending core technology from Onix which combines foam and a carbon ribbed core structure to create an extremely strong core and solid paddle. This unique core attracts many control style pickleball players. The RIBTEC™ CORE is currently offered in the Onix Sub-Zero paddle.

FUSION CORE™

Another Patent Pending core technology from Onix which utilizes a carefully placed nomex insert in the paddle’s center surrounded by a polypropylene base. This construction is meant to deliver power boost along with superior pop and an ideal sweet spot.

ONE-PIECE CONSTRUCTION

The Onix Inferno and Onix Sub-Zero are both made using Onix’s 1 piece construction technique which uses a single mold to Improve paddle consistency.

Handle Designs:

ERGO Handle - a contoured grip designed to mold to your hand for a consistent grip position on every shot​.

Tennis Handle- Resembles the shape of a table tennis racket with a flared, wood handle, making it a good option for players transitioning from tennis.

Tennis Grip

Ergo Grip

ONIX Pickleball Ball Reviews

Ball Technology

In addition to quality paddles, Onix manufacture pickleballs. The Onix Pure 2 ball has grown in popularity and is now of the most common balls seen on indoor and outdoor pickleball courts.

Onix Pure 2- we don’t exactly know what goes into making this ball since it’s a proprietary material formula. However, these balls are designed to fly true and bounce consistently and they are approved for tournament play by the USAPA. The balls are sold in packs of 3, 6 and 12 and come in yellow and orange.

The Onix Pure Outdoor Ball is a heavier ball designed with smaller holes to reduce the of wind impact, thereby allowing the ball to fly true even during windy playing conditions. They are durable and known to last longer than many other outdoor pickleballs. Because of these factors, the Onix Pure 2 is my top pick for best pickleballs.

Outdoor pickleballs take a lot more abuse that indoor balls since they are exposed to the elements, most importantly UV rays from the sun, and they get more wear and tear on outdoor court surfaces compared to smooth indoor gym floors. Eventually most outdoor balls will go out of round or actually crack through. We've seen that the Onix balls last longer compared to some cheaper options so in the long run seem to be a better value for money.

Although Onix does carry an entry-level paddle, the "Recruit" that is made of 7-ply Baltic birch wood, the Onix brand is better known for it's graphite pickelball paddles. These are made using quality construction and materials but this also come with a price tag as most of these paddles are positioned in the top range for graphite paddles. These higher end paddles appeal mostly to serious players who are willing to make an investment in superior quality equipment.

Understandably, some budgets cannot allow for a more expensive paddle but with the growth of popularity in pickleball has come a flood of more affordable paddles on the market. Now more than ever, we recommend graphite or composite over wood if your wallet can allow it.

The one exception would be those buying a large volume of paddles, such as summer camps, senior communities or local rec centers (YMCA type gyms) where wood would be a low-cost option and the "Recruit" paddle by Onix would be a decent choice.

ONIX Portable Pickleball Net Review

This net from Onix is USAPA approved and standard regulation size (34" H by 22' W). It comes with interlocking steel poles and stable base. The net comes with an adjustable Velcro strap to adjust the net tension along with a center pole to maintain the standard 34" net height. The portable set easily breaks down to 40”L x 7”W x 5”H and comes in a handy black carrying case which has wheels, a nice added feature considering the 25 pound weight of the set.

The portable pickleball net by Onix can be used both for outdoor and indoor pickleball and is a good option for anyone looking to temporarily set up a pickleball game or play in a shared space (community center, school or gym) where the net will need to be broken down and stored between games. ​Breaking down an setting up the set is relatively easy.

The Onix website boasts a wide range of professional pickleball players that use and promote Onix gear. Their paddles can be seen at national competitions and courts around the country, confirming that many top level players trust the quality of Onix paddles.

“Team Onix” includes many professional pickleball players that that use Onix paddles including: Byron Freso, Marcus Luke, Erik Gertler, Mason Ford Suzee Anderson and Roxanne Pierce. This really is a testament to the quality and reassuring to see so many pro players using their gear.

Leave a Comment:

Copyright 2018 by Pickleball Portal.
Pickleballportal.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.